June 20: This Day in Black Music History

Eric Dolphy

Jun 20, 2015

By BlackAmericaWeb.com

1928:Eric Dolphy was born. He was a jazz alto saxophonist, flautist, and bass clarinetist. He also played the clarinet, piccolo, and baritone saxophone and was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s. He passed away in 1964 at age 36. He fell ill while on stage and was taken to a hospital in Berlin. After being given a shot of insulin, he lapsed into a coma and died. (Photo: YouTube)

Black Music Month originated in 1979. Jimmy Carter proclaimed the month of June as Black Music Month to celebrate the wonderful music, the achievements, births, important timelines, events and to remember those we lost.